This post was updated April 25, 2018, with photographs of my great-grandfather next to the Robert the Bruce monument in progress. Photos are from hard copies owned by my grandfather, David Bowie, in Canada.
Look at the detail in this sculpture, isn’t it stunning?
This is the sculpture of Robert de Bruce located in Bannockburn, Scotland. It’s been there since 1964 when the Queen unveiled it for the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.
Sculptor Charles d’Orville Pilkington Jackson designed the sculpture using measurements of Bruce’s skull re-discovered at Dunfermline Abbey in 1818 to model his work on. A plaque on the side of the sculpture declares P. Jackson as the sculptor.
Do you know who actually sculpted this cast bronze equestrian monument featuring Bruce on his war horse carrying an axe?
My great-grandfather, pictured below, standing next to the work-in-progress with a working model in the background.
THOMAS TAYLOR BOWIE & THE ROBERT THE BRUCE MONUMENT
Thomas Taylor Bowie was born in Linlithgow and moved to Edinburgh where he apprenticed himself to a studio owned by Pilkington Jackson. Jackson had the contacts to get some really high profile contracts and when he was asked to design this statue he knew the only person with enough talent to sculpt it was my great-grandfather. By this time Bowie was the Director of Sculpture at the Ontario College of Art and he was flown back to Scotland for the summer to complete the work.
Much like architects and builders, the designer gets all the credit but the person who does the work is forgotten about.
An interesting fact about this sculpture is that Tom Bowie detested it, a distant relative of mine informed me (see the comments, below)
“In his personal opinion, it represented a non-accurate and altogether too passive view of Robert the Bruce. In the manner of the time and the considering the role Robert played in the battle there was no way he was sitting behind the lines watching his troops. My granddad always felt the statue should have portrayed him in a more active role, with sword drawn and horse rearing into battle.”
This summer we went on our very first family summer holiday to the mainland.
We covered 1500 miles through Scotland and England in our heavily loaded Rav4, and the only place I insisted we stopped was at the Battle of Bannockburn site. I wanted my children to see the statue their great-great-grandfather had sculpted 50 years after it had been unveiled (but to be honest they were more interested in the cuddly toys and wooden axes in the gift shop!).
The friendly assistant in the gift shop said he had heard there was another name associated with the statue – not just Pilkington Jackson. The name is Thomas Taylor Bowie and I want people to know that!
I spent some time several years ago researching my great-grandfather and I have a folder filled with newspaper clippings, magazine articles, photographs and family history. One of these days I will write a comprehensive post on him as I believe he did not get the credit he deserved while he was still alive. Ideally, I’d like to get his name engraved on the plaque, but that’s a challenge for when I have a bit more time on my hands, I think.
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Fascinating though your story of your great grandfather sculpting the statue of Robert Bruce could be, I am afraid I have to disabuse you of this belief.
I have been researching the life and works of Charles D’o Pilkington Jackson and have had access to a vast archive of photographs of his sculptures taken in his studio. There is an extensive collection of photographs showing the production of ‘The Bruce’ through all its stages from the first model PJ produced through its moulding and casting (in England) to its unveiling in 1964 at Bannockburn. Yes, your great grandfather did work on the statue alongside PJ but was in no way THE sculptor (I have a copy of a photograph showing both working on the sculpture, which I could send you)
Incidentally, I have viewed a friendly letter from your great grandfather to PJ dated 1971 from a Post Box in Sundridge, Ontario, describing some of his recent sculptures, depicting the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for a museum at Niagara and a 20 foot totem pole he had carved ‘for a camp near here’ He also described a planned holiday to southern USA and Mexico.
I have an extensive amount of colour slides through all the stages of the sculpt and the colour slides came from Bowie so I’m not sure why photos are proof Bowie did not sculpt this. ?
How amazing that your great grandfather made this sculpture and what a beautiful thing to remember him by
What a fantastic story and lovely piece of history!
That is so cool! I love it. It shows his readiness for battle.
My dad was an artist and created a very famous logo for American Family Insurance seen everywhere in the US . He did get the honor of having an article written about him before he died.
I love your idea of a plaque!
Thomas Taylor Bowie is mt great-great grandfather
That would make us cousins! 😀 Are you still in Canada?
We are pleased to mention we own one of your great grandfather’s wonderful life size horse sculptures. It has a “Plain’s Indian” as it’s rider and it is in full action, just the way your great grand father envisioned and artistically completed. We are aware of one other of Tom Bowie’s life size horses, located on Silverwood’s Island in Muskoka
We would be delighted to send you a photo of our “Tom Bowie” horse
Could you please let us know if Tom Bowie has any descendants, who are also artists, in ONTARIO
Thank you
Hi
I would like to go and see this work but I can’t seem to find silver wood island on a map
Could you help me out with this
thank you
Love the details on that sculpture, just beautiful #alphabetphoto
It is stunning, isn’t it 🙂
That is an incredible sculpture and how fabulous to have such family history associated with it. Fascinating post, and wonderful photos, especially the last one x #alphabetphoto
Hey there distant relative type person! 🙂
An interesting fact about this sculpture is that Tom Bowie detested it.
In his personal opinion it represented a non accurate and all together too passive view of Robert the Bruce. In the manner of the time and the considering the role Robert played in the battle there was no way he was sitting behind the lines watching his troops. My granddad always felt the statute should have portrayed him in a more active role, with sword drawn and horse rearing into battle.
What an amazing sculpture and great to have some family history attached as well.
I love Scotland. Haven’t been for a while though. Great photo
Wow! I was thoroughly enjoying reading about the sculpture and was blown away to read that it was made by your great grandfather, what an amazing heritage to have and an awesome thing to share with your children.
The statue is beautiful and I love the story behind it, how great to be able to share that with your kids. The last photo is absolutely stunning.
I was rather impressed by that one too – despite the fact it was so sunny I couldn’t get a forward facing shot of the sculpture itself. 🙂 Thank you for your lovely comment x
Thomas Bowie is my great uncle…brother to my paternal grandfather. Not only was he an amazing artist, he was an amazing man and story teller. We miss him very much.
Wow! What an amazing legacy your great grandfather left you! So true amazing details in the sculpture indeed =) #alphabetphoto
Thank you Merlinda – it is so very detailed, isn’t it – I hope people who go there to visit it notice it too!
What an amazing statue and how wonderful that it is connected to you. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank you – it was quite humbling to be standing there beneath it this summer. I was reflecting on that a lot over these last few days, why the statue is there and about our referendum vote today. We’re living in interesting times! So glad we get to use pens these days instead of swords!
It really is a beautiful sculpture, and thanks for sharing that interesting story about your great grandfather!
Thank you Tarana, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I don’t know if I am more amazed at what an impressive piece of work your great grandfather made or that you have had so few trips to the mainland, – you seem to have quite a lot of trips around the islands so I had assumed you would also travel through the mainland too
It costs a small fortune to get off this island (comfortably). For the four of us to take the ferry with our car (and get a cabin) it was nearly £600, and that’s with the islander discount and before we bought our meals on board. I could get a reclining seat for inexpensively, but you don’t want to do that with kids as you don’t get a decent rest before travelling. Hence – our children have never left the island before this summer! We make due with adventuring around our island 🙂
Great Photograpgy i love the sculpture, i would love to go to scotland!
Thanks Atosa – you should visit one day; it’s a beautiful country!